Thursday, May 16, 2013

When I was in Guadeloupe in March, I bought a variety of whole and freshly ground spices. I just made a bowlful of Tandoori Rub. Tandoori is a marinade traditionally used in Indian cooking. The dry spice mix is mixed with yogurt, which is perfect for a marinade because it has a natural acidity, and is thick enough to adhere well to the meat, which keeps the spices in place. You can also just use the spices as a plain rub. The color of the spice mix is often very red or very yellow.

Here is the recipe I used:

I divided the spices into little zip bags:

I placed the zip bags into these cute orange polka dot parchment bags, and I bought coordinating washi tape to seal the bags:

I made a label, adding a variety of ways to use the mixed spices:

I am hosting a "girl's night out" on Friday and these will be little favors for each guest to take home:

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

"Sometimes the name says it all. And with water as calm, and soothing as a soak in your home bathtub, Bathtub Beach on Hutchinson Island is, indeed, one of Central Florida's most gentle stretches of sands. And because the sun warmed, salty water gently laps at the sands in the most unthreatening way, Bathtub Beach is also one of the most rubber ducky-friendly shores on the Atlantic Ocean, a favorite seashore outing for children and their families. Protected by a wide band of rocky coral reefs, Bathtub Beach enjoys a low tide lagoon effect, creating shallow pools of water safe for even the toddler tourist. Not just for babies, Bathtub Beach also draws serious scuba divers and kite and windsurfers". source

BUT, last night it was not calm at all! The waves were crashing, the surfers were in their glory and I walked and walked along the shoreline.

The rough waters washed up many shells:

As the waves rolled in....

...and the skies turned pink...

...and as the sun set behind me over the intracoastal...

....reality set in and reminded me that my vacation ends on Wednesday!